The invention relates generally to a cleaning device and more particularly to a nozzle attachment for a vacuum for cleaning ceiling fan blades.
Ceiling fan blades, due to their orientation, rapidly collect dust on their upward facing surfaces and must be cleaned on a regular basis to maintain the motor in good working order and to provide a clean and desirable environment. In household use, fans are also likely to accumulate a layer of grease to which the dust adheres, making cleaning more difficult.
Typically, due to free rotation of the blades and the height of most ceilings, an individual must use a chair or a ladder to access the upper surface of the blade with some conventional type of cleaning device. One hand is used to steady the blade while the other is engaged in either manually wiping the blade or operating a device to clean the blade""s surfaces. In most cases, unless a tall ladder is used, the individual is working over their heads and is unable to visually confirm the cleanliness of the blade. Further, the body mechanics of the situation are poor and the potential for accidents is great.
A number of different devices to assist in cleaning ceiling fan blades are known and described in the prior art. Some of these apparatus, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,841,592 to Restivo employ cleaning elements such as sponges arranged on extensible handles to clean the blades, while others such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,944 to Bielecki, attempt to dissuade dust from adhering to the surface of the fan blade by positioning a non-rotating brush above the rotating fan blades and gently brushing off the dust with each pass of the blades.
A variety of vacuum nozzle attachments have been described to be attached to vacuum cleaner hoses and wands to facilitate easy removal of dust and dirt from all surfaces of ceiling fan blades. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,259 to Cika, a fan blade cleaning device is described comprising a hollow rectangular head connected to the upper end of a tubular handle for attachment to a vacuum cleaner hose. The tubular handle is attached at the middle of the head creating a T-shaped attachment. A passage lined with brushes extends through the hollow head to accept a fan blade and discrete openings in the head communicate with both the blade passage and the vacuum to duct dust from all surfaces of the blade. Positioned as it is, in a T-shape, the tubular handle obscures the view of the blade to a user standing directly below the fan blade. Further, most fan blades are angled 12 degrees from horizontal, therefore in order to engage the blade the user must also attempt to angle the hose and tubular handle to position the head and passage to accept the end of the blade.
Earlier U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,445 to Harris et al. describes a hollow housing with an aperture therethrough for accepting a fan blade, the housing and aperture angled 12 degrees to improve alignment with the blade, and a tubular handle positioned offset along the end of the housing to provide the user a vertical or plumb reference for the vacuum wand during use. The aperture is brush lined and a small dust catching edge is provided on either side of the aperture to catch dust displaced as the blade enters the aperture and before it engages the vacuum. However, this device relies upon the firm engagement of the blade with the brush bristles to secure the blade and provide only sufficient space to concentrate the volume of air flow about the bristles to increase the amount of dust which is removed. Clearly, any wear to the bristles as a result of poor alignment of the blade entering the aperture or normal wear and tear as the bristles traverse the surface of the blade compromises the efficiency with which this device would remove dust.
There is a need for an improved means to safely clean ceiling fan blades, particularly one that utilizes a home vacuum cleaner, that is lightweight, easily attached to a vacuum hose and wand, readily aligned and engaged with the blade and further, that provides sufficient vacuum to effectively and efficiently remove dust and dirt from all surfaces of the blade.
The vacuum nozzle attachment of the present invention provides an improved means for safely and easily cleaning ceiling fan blades.
The lightweight housing, incorporating an air chamber with a venturi and tapered tubular neck, is readily installed on the end of a vacuum hose or wand. The offset tubular neck ensures that the user can easily visualize both the head of the housing and the ceiling fan blade. The head and brush-lined aperture, which extends therethrough, are angled at 12 degrees from horizontal relative to the tubular neck, to match the pitch of typical ceiling fan blades. The angled head and aperture assist in aligning the fan blade with the aperture. Further, shaped guides are provided on either side of the housing at the aperture to engage the edges of the fan blade to further assist in alignment.
The venturi-like shape or tapered constriction of the air chamber acts to increase the velocity of air as it passes the constriction, thus enhancing the suction at the air chamber and the top of the blade, when engaged by the nozzle. Further, the constriction causes an eddy-like pattern to the air flow which along with the enhanced suction, improves the cleaning ability of the nozzle.